Dredging-machine



(No Model.) 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 J. G. FALCON.

DREDGING MACHINE. No. 392,858. Patented Nov. 13, 1888.

F In ven'for.

WZ' Zn eases:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH G. FALCON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

om-zoeme- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,858, dated November13, 1889.

Application filed February 20, 1887. Serial No.264,680. (N0 model.)

To. aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH G. FALCON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in DredgingMachines, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, (two sheets,) forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation of a dredging-machine in which isembodied my invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged side elevation of the drum,which isapart of the mechanism for adj usting the scraper to the depthrequired; Fig. 3, an enlarged end elevation of the drum with lever andspiral-band attachment; Fig. 4, Sheet 2, an enlarged front end view ofthe dredge shown at Fig. 1, the drum being omitted, the better to showthe other parts.

The purpose of this invention is to provide suitable mechanism inconnection with a suitable scow for leveling the beds of streams andsinking such beds in places and dumping the earth in the water toobviate the use of a mudscow.

Thisinvention consists, in brief, in a dredging-scraper which is madeinflexible as against the earth to be removed, and which is jointed,that its cutting-edge may be brought forward and upward to discharge theload at the back portion thereof, a cable being employed to give aforward movement to the scow and to raise the scraper, and another cablebeing employed to dump the scraper and draw back the scow. Only oneengine is employed to operate both cables.

A represents the scow, which is suitable to carry the framework andmechanism; and R P B 10 Q Q is the frame-work, which is attached to thescow and supports the mechanlsm.

T T are the shears, to which are attached the racks U. To the lower endsof the shears is jointed the scraper G by means of the shaft H. Thescraper consists of a horizontal lower cutting-edge, D, back E, andsides V. The

racks U mesh in double pinions W on the ends of shaft 2 and in doublepinions X on a shaft, 3, shaft 2 having bearings on the frame part P Pand the shaft 3 bearing on the frame part B R. The drum 4. is affixed toshaft 3, and to the scow A is secured a metal band, 5,

the attaching end of the band being shown at 6, Fig. 3. This band passesspirally around the drum 4, and the other end is fastened to a lever, 7,Fig. 3, and the lever, by means of a box, 8, has a bearing on a shaft,9, which extends from side to side of two frame-pieces, 10. Thisconstruction is such that when the free end of lever 7 is elevated theshears T T will pass down by their gravity. A cable, L, is attached to asheave, I, passes up and over a sheave, N, thence down under sheave I,up Ward and over sheave M, and thence forward to the operating-engine,the attaching end being shown at 12. A cable, J, is attached by means ofa chain, F F, to the lower front corners of the scraper and passes upand over sheave K, back and over pulley 13, and passes throughthesnatch-block11,andisthenbrought forward and around the same drumwhich drives cable L, the cable being paid out and taken in in oppositedirections. The snatchblock 11 is to be secured either to a pile oranchored buoy, and the scow supporting the engine is to be suitablyanchored.

Operation: Raise lever 7 and slacken cable L. The scraper will then passdown to the water-bed. Lever 7 then is depressed. The cable L is thendrawn forward till the scraper O is filled. Then, if a bar is beingleveled, the earth is to be dumped by drawing on the cable J, whichdumps the load and pulls the scow A back to its first position; but ifthe earth is to be carried a distance to be dumped the lever 7 iselevated to first raise the scraper by drawing on cable L to theposition shown at Fig. 1. Dotted lines 14 show the scraper as whencutting the earth. 15 shows the water line.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The scraper C and shearsT U, jointed together by the shaft H, in combination with drum 4 and theband 5, wound spirally around it and attached to the scow A at one end,and the lever 7, attached to the other end of the band, the pinions W X,the sheave-blocks I N M K, snatch-block 11, and cables J L, as and forthe purpose specified.

JOSEPH G. FALCON.

Witnesses:

G. L. CHAPIN, HIRAM A. SMITH.

